NEW YORK – Jacksonville University baseball alum Austin Hays was named a starter for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game, set to be played on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Park in Seattle at 8 p.m. on FOX.
 
The 2016 third-round draft choice of the Orioles earned his first career All-Star selection, and becomes just the second JU alum all-time to start the Midsummer Classic.
 
Hays, who was a standout for JU in 2015-16, is having a career year for Baltimore. He is fourth in the American League in batting average and seventh overall in MLB, as of Sunday. Since cementing himself in the lineup as a regular starter in 2021, he currently has the best batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS of his career. He leads the Orioles in OPS and hits, is second in runs scored and doubles, and his spectacular play has helped Baltimore ascend to second in the AL East and the third-best record in the majors at the break.
 
He is the first former Dolphin to make the All-Star team since Daniel Murphy in 2017, the only other time a former JU player has earned a start. Murphy made it with the Nationals, the third time in his career he was an All-Star, along with the 2014 (as a Met) and 2016 editions. Hays is also only the second player in program history to be named an All-Star.

Hays is slated to bat seventh in the lineup, while starting centerfield. Pregame coverage starts at 7 p.m. on your local FOX affiliate, with the game coverage starting at 8 p.m.